WKMG-TV

WKMG-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Orlando, Florida, and affiliated with CBS. It broadcasts on channel 6 and serves the wider Central Florida market, including the Orlando metropolitan area and nearby communities. Its principal consumer-facing identities are News 6 for local television news and ClickOrlando for digital news, weather, video, and community information. The station is owned by Graham Media Group, the broadcast subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company. The station began broadcasting on July 1, 1954, as WDBO-TV, making it the first television station in Central Florida. It was established by the Orlando Broadcasting Company alongside WDBO radio. During its first years, WDBO-TV carried CBS programming while also presenting selected programs from ABC, DuMont, and NBC. Its local schedule included news, outdoor programming, children's entertainment, music, and other studio productions. The station became a sole CBS affiliate in 1958 after the Orlando market gained additional commercial television stations. Ownership changed several times during the station's first three decades. In 1957, the WDBO stations were sold to Cherry Broadcasting Company, a Rhode Island-based broadcaster. The Outlet Company acquired the properties in 1963 and expanded the Orlando studio complex. Outlet also participated in the development of a major transmission tower near Bithlo, intended to improve coverage across Central Florida and the Space Coast. That tower collapsed on June 8, 1973, during work to install an antenna for WMFE-TV, killing two workers and disrupting the area's television service. WKMG's predecessor temporarily returned to an older transmission facility and did not regain full-power service until replacement facilities were completed more than two years later. The interruption contributed to a significant decline in local news competitiveness. The station adopted the call sign WCPX-TV in 1982. The call letters had been selected during Outlet's proposed but unsuccessful merger with Columbia Pictures and were retained even after that transaction failed. Outlet opened a new facility known as Broadcast House in 1984. In 1986, WCPX-TV was sold to First Media Corporation. First Media initially struggled to maintain the station's ratings and investment levels, while the news operation experienced changes in personnel, presentation, and format. During the 1990s, the station pursued a more aggressive news strategy, expanded its schedule, added newsgathering equipment and staff, and invested in a major newsroom and graphics relaunch. It also produced a late-night newscast for other local outlets and participated in First Media's efforts to develop nationally syndicated programming. First Media placed its television properties on the market in 1996. Meredith Corporation acquired the group and subsequently exchanged WCPX-TV to Post-Newsweek Stations in a transaction involving WFSB in Connecticut and cash. On January 30, 1998, the station changed its call sign to WKMG-TV in recognition of Katharine Meyer Graham, the longtime publisher of The Washington Post. Post-Newsweek Stations later became associated with Graham Media Group. Under the Graham ownership structure, the station continued its CBS affiliation and developed its local-news, weather, investigative, traffic, and digital offerings. Today, WKMG-TV's business is centered on local television broadcasting and multiplatform news distribution. Its programming includes CBS network content, locally produced newscasts, severe-weather coverage, breaking-news reporting, sports and traffic information, syndicated or acquired programming, and digital video. Through ClickOrlando, the station extends its Orlando news operation to the web and other digital platforms. Its principal competitive role is that of a locally focused broadcast outlet serving viewers throughout Central Florida.

WKMG-TV traces its origins to Orlando radio station WDBO and the allocation of VHF television channels to Orlando after the Federal Communications Commission ended its freeze on new television assignments. The Orlando Broadcasting Company applied for channel 6 and received a construction permit in October 1953 after a competing local application was withdrawn. The company built a combined radio and television center and launched WDBO-TV on July 1, 1954. It was the first television station in Central Florida. At launch, WDBO-TV held a primary CBS affiliation and also carried selected programs from ABC, DuMont, and NBC. Its early schedule combined network programming with locally produced shows, including outdoor programming and children's entertainment. The station became a sole CBS affiliate in 1958, after WESH and WLOF-TV entered the market. In 1957, the Orlando Broadcasting Company sold the WDBO properties to Cherry Broadcasting Company of Providence, Rhode Island. The Outlet Company acquired them in 1963 and expanded the station's facilities in the following years. A major technical development came through the construction of a high television tower near Bithlo. The tower was intended to improve reception throughout Central Florida and the Space Coast, but it collapsed on June 8, 1973, while workers were installing an antenna for public station WMFE-TV. Two workers died. WDBO-TV temporarily used an earlier facility while a replacement tower was built. The prolonged service disruption weakened the station's local-news position and contributed to a broader ratings decline. After the replacement tower became operational, the station briefly improved its early-evening performance, but WFTV subsequently became the dominant local news station. Outlet's proposed merger with Columbia Pictures in the early 1980s did not close, yet the station retained the call sign selected for that proposed combination. WCPX-TV became the station's identity in June 1982. Outlet opened the present Broadcast House facility in March 1984. In 1986, WCPX-TV was sold to First Media Corporation. The acquisition occurred during a period of high television-station valuations, and the station initially experienced reduced investment, staff turnover, and declining news ratings. First Media nevertheless used the Orlando operation as a base for developing syndicated programming and produced or distributed several nationally oriented specials and pilots. The news department went through repeated changes during the late 1980s and early 1990s. A more aggressive presentation was introduced in 1992, followed by the addition of veteran anchor Bud Hedinger and expansions into new time periods. After Brooke Spectorsky became general manager in 1994, First Media increased investment in equipment and personnel, reduced preemptions of CBS programs, and relaunched the newscasts in 1995 with new talent, graphics, and a redesigned set. Ratings improved by late 1996. First Media placed its stations on the market in 1996. Meredith acquired the group in 1997 but exchanged WCPX-TV to Post-Newsweek Stations for WFSB and cash. The transaction closed the station's First Media period and connected it to the company that later operated under the Graham Media Group identity. On January 30, 1998, WCPX-TV adopted the WKMG-TV call sign in honor of Katharine Meyer Graham. The station has continued as a CBS affiliate serving Orlando and Central Florida, with local news, weather, traffic, investigative reporting, emergency information, and digital journalism distributed through the ClickOrlando platform.

1. 1998WKMG-TV identity introduced

   The station adopted the WKMG-TV call sign in recognition of Katharine Meyer Graham.

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2. 1997Post-Newsweek Stations acquisition

   Meredith exchanged WCPX-TV to Post-Newsweek Stations as part of a transaction involving WFSB.

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3. 1995News operation relaunch

   A broad newsroom overhaul introduced new talent, graphics, set design, equipment, and staffing.

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4. 1992News presentation is reformatted

   The station introduced a more aggressive news format and continued expanding its local-news schedule.

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5. 1986First Media acquisition

   WCPX-TV became part of First Media Corporation.

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6. 1984Broadcast House opens

   The station opened its new Orlando studio and newsroom complex.

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7. 1982Call sign changes to WCPX-TV

   The television station stopped using WDBO-TV and adopted WCPX-TV.

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8. 1973Bithlo tower collapse

   The station's major transmission installation collapsed during construction work, causing fatalities and a prolonged service disruption.

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9. 1963Outlet Company ownership begins

   The Outlet Company completed its acquisition of the WDBO stations.

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10. 1957Cherry Broadcasting acquires the station

    The WDBO radio and television properties were sold to Cherry Broadcasting Company.

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11. 1954WDBO-TV signs on

    WDBO-TV began broadcasting on July 1 as Central Florida's first television station.

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12. 1953Construction permit awarded

    The FCC awarded channel 6 to the Orlando Broadcasting Company after a competing application was withdrawn.

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A locally focused, full-service CBS television station combining Central Florida news, weather, traffic, investigations, and community reporting with digital distribution through ClickOrlando.

• News 6Local television news

  WKMG-TV's local-news identity, covering breaking news, public affairs, investigations, crime, politics, education, business, health, and community events across Orlando and Central Florida. The operation also produces weather, traffic, and emergency-information segments for broadcast and digital audiences.

• ClickOrlandoDigital news platform

  The station's online news and information brand, publishing local and regional reporting alongside live video, weather information, traffic updates, alerts, and selected television content. It extends WKMG-TV's broadcast journalism to web and connected-device audiences.

• CBS programmingNetwork television service1954

  WKMG-TV carries programming supplied by CBS, supplemented by locally produced newscasts and other station programming. The CBS relationship has been central to the station's identity since its launch, although the early station also carried selected programming from several other networks.

• 1995Comprehensive local-news relaunchStrategy

  The station had experienced years of ratings pressure and repeated changes in news personnel and presentation.

  What changed. First Media introduced a new anchor lineup, traditional news format, redesigned set and graphics, additional staff, and expanded newsgathering resources.

  Aftermath. The relaunch did not immediately change ratings, but the station recorded its strongest news viewership in years by November 1996.

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• 1982Adoption of the WCPX-TV call signStrategy

  Outlet had selected the call letters during its proposed merger with Columbia Pictures, even though the merger did not occur.

  What changed. The station changed its call sign from WDBO-TV to WCPX-TV after the radio station retained the WDBO identity.

  Aftermath. The WCPX-TV identity remained in use until the station became WKMG-TV in 1998.

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• 1958Consolidation as a sole CBS affiliateStrategy

  The Orlando market gained additional commercial television stations after WDBO-TV's launch, reducing the need for the station to carry programs from multiple networks.

  What changed. WDBO-TV concentrated its network affiliation on CBS while continuing to produce local programming.

  Aftermath. The CBS affiliation became the station's enduring network position.

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• 1998WCPX-TV becomes WKMG-TV

  The station changed its call sign to WKMG-TV on January 30, 1998, honoring Katharine Meyer Graham.

  Product generation
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• 1997WCPX-TV moves into Post-Newsweek ownership

  Meredith acquired First Media's television stations and later exchanged WCPX-TV to Post-Newsweek Stations in a transaction involving WFSB and cash.

  M&A
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• 1995News operation undergoes a major relaunch

  First Media implemented a substantial refresh of the station's newscasts, including a new anchor lineup, set, graphics, equipment, and additional news staff.

  Product generation
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• 1986WCPX-TV is sold to First Media

  Outlet sold the Orlando station to First Media Corporation as part of a broader restructuring of its television holdings.

  M&A
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• 1984Broadcast House opens

  The station moved into its new Broadcast House facility in Orlando on March 5, 1984.

  Other
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• 1982Station adopts WCPX-TV call sign

  The station changed its call letters from WDBO-TV to WCPX-TV after WDBO radio was sold and the television and radio properties could no longer share the call sign.

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• 1973Bithlo transmission tower collapses

  A major transmission tower near Bithlo collapsed during antenna installation work, killing two workers and interrupting service for local television stations.

  Other
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• 1958WDBO-TV becomes a sole CBS affiliate

  After additional commercial stations entered the Orlando market, WDBO-TV concentrated its network affiliation on CBS.

  Other
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• 1954WDBO-TV begins broadcasting as Central Florida's first television station

  The station signed on July 1, 1954, as WDBO-TV, inaugurating commercial television service in Central Florida.

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1. WKMG-TV
2. WKMG-TV official website